I Want To Buy Cheap California Vehicle Insurance
Reader’s Question:
What do I need to know about California vehicle insurance?
Mark
San Jose, CA
California vehicle insurance is pretty straightforward. The state requires its resident drivers to have liability coverage. The limits for this coverage are $15,000 for the treatment of a single person’s bodily injuries, $30,000 for the combined medical expenses of all persons injured in one accident, and $5,000 for any property damage. Although California vehicle insurance is compulsory for all drivers or vehicle owners, it can sometimes happen that a driver has a hard time getting insured. Drivers with motor vehicle records spotted with one too many citations or convictions can be often denied by providers. In such cases, the driver would most likely be put in the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan or CAARP. This assigned risk plan hands over drivers who are unable to obtain insurance for whatever reasons to specific insurance companies who agree to provide liability coverage. The required limits for such drivers are $10,000 for bodily injuries of one person, $20,000 if more than two people were injured, and $3,000 for damaged property.
Other types of California vehicle insurance is collision and comprehensive coverage and uninsured motorist coverage. Unlike liability these coverage benefits the policyholder and covers him for any injury or property damage due to an accident. These types of insurance are not required by the state and so obtaining them would depend upon your needs.
Who Has Cheapest Van Insurance Quotes in California?
Reader’s Question:
Is it cheaper for women drivers to get van insurance compared to men? My husband and I were arguing about it a couple of days ago.
Ellen
Sacramento, CA
It depends on a number of factors. However, generally speaking, women drivers are more likely to get cheaper van insurance quote compared to male drivers. Women drivers are seen as more responsible and careful when driving on the road. Statistics back this claim since less women are involved in traffic accidents and violations. So women drivers may have a better chance of getting cheaper van insurance than their male counterparts.
Male drivers are also more inclined to drive longer distances than women drivers, so insurers rate them as high risks compared to women drivers.
But there are other ways for men to gain cheap van insurance. For men to get lower van insurance, they should shop around for an affordable van insurance quote California. There are many websites in the Internet that offer lower van insurance quote California. Men should also present themselves as responsible drivers by showing a creditable driving history to get cheap van insurance quote California. Likewise, male drivers should install security devices on their vehicles so that insurance companies can give them discounts for their van insurance policies.
Online Auto Insurance California CA
Reader’s Question:
What’s the lowdown on shopping for auto insurance online? I’m a stay-home mom here in California, and I’m pretty particular about divulging information online.
Marge
Bakersfield, CA
Hello, Marge! Good day to you. Based on how you reacted, I can tell that you’re a pretty careful individual. I would not blame you if you prefer to talk face to face to auto insurance agents there in California than just input information on the computer. After all, you probably heard of some scams that rob people on the internet. But let me tell you, that is not the case for auto insurance online.
My advice is, use the internet as a tool to get more informed. An agent can only do so much, and, of course, they’re geared to push a specific product every time. So, unless you are friends with them, you might be better off shopping initially on the internet. You can move into conversations with agents once you have got the necessary information about the policies you can get from their respective auto insurance companies.
The internet provides you with a high-speed means to get information from a variety of auto insurance companies. There are auto insurance websites that allow you to see a ballpark estimate of your premiums should you go with the same company. The information asked is easy to give out. These are just based on how many drivers, what kind of car, driving habits or offenses. You won’t even need to enter any of your personal data like a name should you choose not to. And since you can do this on a number of websites, you can get more quotes and compare them all to get the best policy with the cheapest rate at the quickest possible time.
Tags: auto insurance online, auto insurance policy, auto insurance premium, car insurance agent, car insurance rate
Friend’s Car Insurance Coverage California CA
Reader’s Question:
I share a flat with a friend here in California. He usually borrows my car if his is being repaired. What if he gets involved in a wreck? Will my auto insurance cover it even if he’s not listed in my policy?
Julie
San Francisco, CA
In most accident cases and in most states, (that’s including California) when the person behind the wheel is not the owner of the motor vehicle, it’s the car owner’s insurance provider who usually pays for the losses. These include the cost of hospitalization and medical expenses to treat injuries sustained by the parties involved in the accident, and also include the cost of repair or replacement of the other motorist’s car. To cover repair or replacement costs on your own vehicle, you would need to have collision or comprehensive coverage in your policy. If it so happens that you do not have sufficient liability insurance coverage to cover for the medical and repair costs, your friend’s separate car insurance policy may cover any amount remaining. If on the other hand you do not have any auto insurance coverage, your friend’s insurer may cover all the cost. So, there’s really no need to have your friend listed under your policy. But just to be on the safe side, make sure that your friend does have auto insurance and that you both have collision or comprehensive coverage in your auto insurance policies. In an accident, it’s not just the other guy’s car that gets damaged.
Tags: auto insurance coverage, car insurance, collision insurance coverage, comprehensive insurance coverage
Liability Only Automobile Insurance in California
Reader’s Question:
Hi there. I got in a bit of trouble last night and bumped the car into a tree. Will my automobile insurance pay for the repairs to my car? How can I ask them to pay? I have liability insurance.
George
Long Beach, CA
Hi George, I hope you are all right after your accident. First of all, you will need to look at your automobile insurance papers or call your agent in California to find out if you are covered for the damage to your car. If you bought just the minimum automobile insurance required by the state, I’m afraid you might not have the right coverage as most states only require liability insurance which will pay for damages to other people or property.
In order for your insurance company to pay for the damages to your vehicle, you must have first signed up for collision insurance. However, they will not pay for the full amount of the bill. You will still have to cough up your share of the deductibles before they will pay for their share of the bill. Before you file a claim, first evaluate whether you actually need to. If the damage is minimal, and you can afford to pay for it, it may be better to take care of the damages yourself. If you do file a claim, know that this will be placed into your record and may affect your automobile insurance rates in the future. If you still wish to proceed, I suggest you ask your agent about your automobile insurance companies’ process for filing a claim. This will most likely involve some paperwork where you will be asked for details of the accident.
Should I Raise My Car Insurance Deductibles in California?
Reader’s Question:
Would a higher car insurance deductible be more ideal in California for lowering my car insurance rate?
Eduardo
Santa Ana, CA
I have to be honest about this, Eduardo. I myself am confused about this. The authorities in car insurance say that we must get a car insurance policy that has a higher deductible in order for the insurance plan holders to enjoy much lower car insurance premiums. It sounds like a fantastic idea, doesn’t it? But here is the catch. You do not have to be a genius to realize that it does not necessarily bring down the cost of the car insurance.
Deductibles are like your slice of the cake, your exposure and participation to the cost of the damages. It is that specified amount of money that the driver has to pay before the car insurance company pays for the remainder of the cost of damages. So, if you get a car insurance premium that has a $2,000 deductible, then that means that in the event an accident happens, you will have to shell out $2,000.
Personally, I do not see it as an advantage because I think that the bottom line would still be the same. Here you are paying for a less expensive car insurance premium that has a high deductible. Come accident time, there you go handing out precious bucks that the car insurance company should have been paying for had you decided on a lower deductible. Then again, this is only my opinion, and it is still best that you ask the expert advice of car insurance agents in California.
Cheap Comprehensive Auto Insurance in California
Reader’s Question:
I’m a single mom here in San Jose, California. I’m too busy with work to worry about auto insurance. Is there like an ultimate coverage out there for my car? I try to replace my vehicle with a new one every two years to stay away from headaches.
Rochelle
San Jose, CA
Hey there, Rochelle. I am glad you asked about ultimate auto insurance coverage for your car. Well, I’m pretty sure, since you asked about it, that you probably drive a relatively expensively priced vehicle, and thus are prepared to pay for a good insurance package. But let me just state it again–ultimate coverage doesn’t come cheap, honey. This is not like ordering a burger with everything on it.
I’m guessing you got the state minimums down pat. But just to be sure, let me squeeze in the basics. As a San Jose, California busy single mom, you’re supposed to get at least a 15/30/5 minimum coverage for liabilities. That’s $15,000 for each person injured in an accident of your own doing, with a limit of $30,000 per accident. For property liability, that’s $5,000 damage coverage only. Though California does not require you to get Underinsured Motorist coverage and Personal Injury coverage, you can think about those. Some other types of coverage you can think of adding on for your next vehicle purchase are Collision and Comprehensive coverage. Collision coverage protects you from those smash ups regardless of who caused the accident. Comprehensive coverage, as the name suggests, protects you from everything else like falling trees, animals hitting your car, earthquakes, fires, theft and vandalism. Be sure to ask not only insurance agents but your friends and family, as well. I hope you get the vehicle insurance package that best suits your needs.
17 Year Old Driver Car Insurance Question
Question: How does one go about obtaining vehicle insurance for a 17 year old driver in Dallas, without paying an arm and a leg?
Comment: I think this is a super question to inquire about your teen driver. At 17 years of age this teenage driver can not legally enter a contract since they are not considered an adult. I would assume that most teenage drivers would be considered “safe” drivers they are still not old enough to sign the insurance contract.
I would also assume that most insurance companies would require a parent and or a legal guardian to sign the contract and to be financially responsible for the vehicle and the driver’s actions.
I would start off your investigation by making a few phone calls the local insurance carriers in your area and get their opinion on this question.
I really do not see why you could not get decent coverage for your teen driver, but a better question might be are you going to be able to afford this type of coverage?
You might also want to contact the Dallas car insurance bureau or DMV to ask them if there are any restrictions for obtaining Dallas auto insurance in your area or specific situation.
How Long Will DUI Charge Stay on my Record?
Reader’s Question:
Last 2005 I got a DUI in New Jersey but I now live in California. How long will it stay on my record and will it affects my record in my new state?
Harold
Good question Harold.
Your DUI conviction will stay as part of your permanent New Jersey driving record. Since you have moved already to California you should check with the CA Department of Motor Vehicles to check if they have placed this DUI conviction or any other moving violations that were previously on your New Jersey driving record on your California driver’s history.
California legislation extends the reporting period for DUI offenses from 7 to 10 years for all public requests, and that includes insurers.
The new law states that you may not be able to qualify for a good driver discount until 10 years from the date of your violation. Up until 2007 a DUI may have been considered by an insurance carrier for premium surcharges for a period of 7 years but now it can be considered for ten years in California.
Since your DUI happened out of state you may contact the California Department of Insurance, to get information on how long an insurance company in California can rate you on this NJ DUI from 2005. You may speak to your insurance agents if you have any more concerns regarding your insurance premiums.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
How Do Auto Insurance Companies In California Calculate Their Rates?
Reader’s Question:
How do car insurance companies calculate the rate they charge in California?
Imogene
Good Question Imogene.
The insurance premium you pay to your car insurance are either set by the state or determined by the insurance company that you have depending on your jurisdiction.
Insurance companies combine a number of different factors to determine the individuals premium. Each insurance companies have different ways of looking at things that is the reason why this will produce different variations in prices.
Here are some of the elements that insurance companies consider that affects your final insurance rates:
The kind of car you drive
Car insurance companies have different claim experiences of the makes and models of the car to produce the insurance rate of an individual. They check on the repair cost and the risk of the car being stolen and then price it accordingly. One of the factor would be the current value of your car in the market.
where you live
Insurance rates are generally higher in the metropolitan area. There is a higher likelihood that accidents, theft or vandalism may happen in cities with higher density of traffic and people.
your driving record
One of the major factors that affects your insurance rate is the number of years that you have been licensed to drive and your previous insurance records. If you have a clean driving record, your premiums will be much lower than with those that had convictions or accidents.
how your vehicle is being used
The more you use your vehicle , the higher the odds of you getting involve in an accident. People who do not do much driving will have a lower insurance premium than those who always use the vehicle or those that use extensive amount of driving. If you have inexperienced drivers in the household, your insurance premium will likely to be higher.
These are just some of the factors that affects your premiums. That is why it is best to get several quotes and compare all the prices to make sure you will get the best car insurance that will get you fully covered and saves a lot of money in the long run.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
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